The first infant recipient of the novel MVA85A TB vaccine has been successfully followed up to the age of one year, the age at which participants graduate from the study.
The trial is currently being conducted at the Medical Research Council Laboratories, The Gambia in 4 month old infants who have been previously vaccinated with BCG.
On Thursday 23rd August 2007, a small celebration was held at the Sukuta Health Centre where the phase IIa safety and immunogenicity trial is taking place, to commemorate this event.
The increasing prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) in both developed and developing countries, despite the widespread use of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, has re-stimulated the interest in the search for a novel TB vaccine that can improve on BCG. MVA85A is one such candidate vaccine. It has been tested in human adults in the UK, South Africa and The Gambia and found to be safe and immunogenic.
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